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TB Personal Stories – Esteban and Danielle’s StoryEspañol (Spanish)										Related Pages
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Esteban and Danielle’s Story
Danielle, Esteban, and their daughtersDanielle, Esteban, and their daughters
*Esteban and Danielle adopted two girls from Ethiopia, one of whom was found to have tuberculosis (TB). Moreover, their daughter had multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB); MDR TB is TB that is resistant to two or more of the most important TB medicines. With the help of a TB nurse from the South Carolina TB Control Program, their daughter received the life-saving treatment she needed. This is their story.*
In 2007, Esteban and Danielle decided to adopt and were particularly interested in international adoption. After working with an adoption agency and waiting for 2 years, they finally received the exciting news that two young Ethiopian girls were available.
However, excitement turned to apprehension when they arrived in Ethiopia and the adoption agency told them the somber news that the older girl Anna (not her real name) had TB. “The news completely took us by surprise; we were unprepared for it,” recalls Esteban.
In accordance with U.S. immigration laws, children with TB who are being brought to the United States as adoptees must be medically cleared and noninfectious. Anna was evaluated and, much to the relief of Esteban and Danielle, was found noninfectious and cleared for travel. Once the family was home in South Carolina, Esteban and Danielle followed up on Anna’s diagnosis with their doctor. After this appointment, the South Carolina Department of Health contacted Esteban and Danielle and they began communicating with Tammy, a nurse consultant with the South Carolina TB Control Program.
Anna’s chest x-ray showed an ominous dark spot – a possible sign of TB disease. Much to their dismay, they learned that Anna was still sick. “Tammy explained to us what TB was and that it had become contagious and that our daughter would need treatment,” says Esteban.
Anna was started on standard treatment for TB disease, but the family soon learned that she had MDR TB and was resistant to these drugs. This meant that Anna would have to take a different treatment regimen that included harsh, expensive, less effective drugs in order to be cured. In addition, she would need to have a medical pump inserted to have the drugs administered.
“Tammy (the nurse consultant) explained to us what TB was and that it had become contagious and that our daughter would need treatment.”
TB treatment is normally free of charge to TB patients treated at public health TB clinics, but Anna needed to take expensive and nonstandard medicines. Her parents were faced with paying for these expenses out of their own pockets. However, Tammy knew what to do. With decades of experience as a TB nurse, she was able to get the family into a program that provided the needed treatment free of charge. Tammy also made arrangements for the nurse in Anna’s school to administer the medicines.
“Through this process, we developed a good relationship with Tammy,” says Esteban. “We were getting used to having the girls in our family, and Tammy was flexible during this process. We were even allowed to take the girls to the beach for the first time.”
In November 2012, Anna’s physician declared her TB free! In total, she was on medicines for MDR TB for 3 years of her young life. During this time, Anna’s family was also tested for TB. Miraculously, none of the other three members of the family became infected with TB.
Esteban and Danielle believe that the South Carolina TB Control Program’s help made a big difference in their family’s ability to cope with this major illness while they were also adjusting to parenthood. They credit Tammy with getting the family through this trying time and with providing the essential care that cured their daughter.
“Our daughter is active and strong and playing sports now,” says Esteban. “We believe that God is doing something with her life, and she has a bigger purpose.”More TB Personal Stories
							
					
						Page last reviewed:  March 8, 2013					Content source: 	Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention homeTuberculosisBasic TB Factsplus iconHow TB SpreadsLatent TB Infection and TB DiseaseSigns & SymptomsTB Risk FactorsExposure to TBTB PreventionVaccinesTB & HIV CoinfectionTB and DiabetesTB TermsPersonal StoriesTesting & Diagnosisplus iconWho Should be TestedTesting for TB InfectionTesting in BCG-Vaccinated PersonsTB Screening and Testing of Health Care PersonnelTesting During PregnancyDiagnosing latent TB infection and TB diseaseTreatmentplus iconDeciding When to Treat Latent TB InfectionTreatment Regimens for Latent TB Infection (LTBI)Treatment for TB DiseaseAdverse EventsTB Treatment of Persons Living with HIVTB Treatment and PregnancyTB Treatment for ChildrenFrequently Asked QuestionsDrug-Resistant TBResearchplus iconTB Epidemiologic Studies Consortiumplus iconResearch ProjectsPublicationsTB Trials Consortiumplus iconStudy DescriptionsBackgroundBehavioral & Social Science ResearchHealth Care Settingsplus iconTB Infection Control in Health Care SettingsResources for TB Screening and Testing of Health Care Personnelplus iconFrequently Asked QuestionsTB in Specific Populationsplus iconHealth DisparitiesAsian PersonsBlack or African American PersonsHispanic or Latino PersonsChildrenPregnancyCorrectional FacilitiesPeople Experiencing HomelessnessInternational TravelersLaboratory Informationplus iconDrug Susceptibility TestingFalse-Positive Investigation ToolkitInterim Laboratory Biosafety Guidance for XDR  tuberculosis strainsModel Performance Evaluation Program (MPEP)Rapid Molecular Testing to Detect Drug-Resistant TB in the USplus iconExecutive SummaryIntroductionBackground on Tests for Molecular Detection of DRGeneral Considerations and Principles for a Molecular DR Testing ServicePossible Scenarios and Scope of Testing for a Molecular DR Testing ServiceResearch NeedsGeneral Recommendations of the Expert PanelCommunication Plan for the ReportRecommendationsReferencesPanel Members and CDC ParticipantsAppendix 1Appendix 2Appendix 3The Uses of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for the Diagnosis of TBplus iconGeneral ConsiderationsGeneral Recommendations of the Expert PanelRecommendations to ACET, CDC, DTBEData & Statisticsplus iconTB Incidence in the United StatesReported TB in the US, 2022 Surveillance Reportplus iconNational DataReporting Area DataRisk FactorsDemographicsTB Treatment and Case OutcomesDrug-Resistant TBMolecular SurveillanceTuberculosis in the United States, 2022 (Slide Set)Archived Surveillance Reports and Slide Sets2021 State and City ReportArchived State and City ReportsProfessional Resources & Toolsplus iconTools for Healthcare ProvidersResources for TB Programsplus iconStrengthening Civil Surgeons’ Capacity to Improve LTBI Surveillance and Outcomes Among Status AdjustersNotice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)Program EvaluationTB Centers of ExcellenceTB Elimination AllianceTB Genotypingplus iconConventional TB GenotypingWhole Genome SequencingTB GIMSAnalytic ToolsLatent Tuberculosis Infection ResourcesPublications & Productsplus iconPatient and Public MaterialsFact SheetsGuidelinesplus iconControl & EliminationDrug-Resistant TBInfection Control & PreventionLaboratory & GenotypingTB & HIVTB in Specific PopulationsTesting & DiagnosisTreatmentVaccines & ImmunizationsArchived TB GuidelinesGuides & Toolkitsplus iconAggregate ReportsCDC TB Surveillance TrainingCore CurriculumEffective TB Interviewing for Contact InvestigationEthnographic GuidesFalse-Positive Investigation ToolkitForging Partnerships to Eliminate TuberculosisGuide to Application of GenotypingLTBI: A Guide for Primary Health Care ProvidersMantoux Tuberculin Skin Testing ProductsReport of Verified Case of Tuberculosis (RVCT)Self-Study ModulesTB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills CourseTB eDOT ToolkitUnderstanding the TB Cohort Review ProcessNewslettersplus iconTB Notes, No. 4, 2023TB Notes, No. 3, 2023TB Notes. No. 2, 2023TB Notes. No. 1, 2023TB Notes, No. 4, 2022TB Notes, No. 3, 2022TB Notes, No. 2, 2022TB Notes, No. 1, 2022TB Notes, No. 4, 2021TB Notes, No. 3, 2021TB Notes, No. 2, 2021TB Notes, No. 1, 2021Pamphlets, Brochures, Bookletsplus iconQuestions and AnswersPatient Education SeriesTuberculosis - Get the FactsTuberculosis - The Connection between TB and HIV12-Dose Regimen for Latent TB Infection-Patient Education BrochurePostersplus iconMantoux Tuberculin Skin Test Wall ChartWorld TB DayThink TBStop TBTake on TBReports & Articlesplus iconDTBE Authored Journal ArticlesTuberculosis Laboratory Aggregate ReportsSlide Setsplus iconIntroduction to TuberculosisEpidemiology of Tuberculosis Among Non-U.S.​–Born Persons in the United States, 1993–2016Self-Study Modules on Tuberculosis, 1-5 Slide SetsThe Tuberculosis (TB) in Correctional Settingsplus iconFacilitator GuideIntroduction to TB GenotypingEpidemiology of Tuberculosis in Correctional Facilities, United States, 1993-2017Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Correctional and Detention FacilitiesGuidelines for Preventing the Transmission of M. TB in Health care SettingsInvestigation of Contacts of Persons with Infectious TBEpidemiology of Pediatric Tuberculosis in the United StatesTargeted Tuberculosis Testing and Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis InfectionElectronic Tools & ResourcesWeb-Based Courses & Webinarsplus iconTB 101 for Health Care WorkersContent SyndicationInfographicsplus iconSocial Media GraphicsCustomizable Take on TB Infographic with InstructionsEventsWorld TB Dayplus iconU.S. TB ChampionsHistoryFeaturesplus iconTB Risk FactorsTreating Latent TB Infection with Short-Course RegimensWorld Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2021World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2020Linksplus iconState TB Control OfficesAbout Usplus iconMission Statement and Activitiesplus iconDTBE Strategic PlanNational TB Program ObjectivesOrganization ChartAdvisory Groupsplus iconFederal TB Task Force To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address			What's this?				Submit


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